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Athens and Thessaloniki are at the center of Greece’s housing crisis. Almost every online discussion and complaint focuses on soaring rents in the country’s largest cities, while the fact that people searching for homes in smaller towns and rural areas face the same financial and psychological pressures often goes overlooked.

Finding a home, particularly in recent years, has become an exhausting process affecting almost every postal code in Greece. When pets are part of the equation, however, the situation becomes even more complicated.

Rents are rising at a pace far exceeding wage increases. The rental price index rose by 10% in 2025, while approximately six in 10 tenants spend more than 40% of their income on housing.

In an already suffocating financial environment, having a dog or cat often becomes grounds for exclusion before prospective tenants even get the chance to discuss the lease, the rent or the condition of the apartment.

According to a 2022 survey by the Greek think tank diaNEOsis, 43% of Greeks say they own a pet. Meanwhile, figures from the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF) show that 14% of Greek households have at least one dog and 13% have at least one cat.

In other words, when a landlord says “no pets,” they automatically exclude a substantial share of potential tenants. And that is a considerable market.

“The number of pet owners has increased dramatically; we are now talking about millions of people,” Liana Alexandri, director of the Hellenic Animal Welfare Society, tells TO BHMA.

Given how accustomed people have become to living with animals, why are landlords increasingly saying no to their owners?

“They Would Accept Us, But Not Our Cat…”

Eleni D., 44, had been living abroad for approximately 10 years when she and her husband decided to return to Greece, leaving behind the cold winters of the United States, where snow often made getting around difficult or even impossible.

Their initial plan was to stay for a short period at her parents’ home in Corinth until they could get back on their feet, “find jobs and feel ready to rent our own apartment.”

What was supposed to be a short stay at her parents’ home — time being subjective and passing differently depending on each person’s financial circumstances — eventually turned into two and a half years.

“We found jobs, but we couldn’t find a home. And whenever we found a place with a relatively good and reasonable price, the landlords didn’t want our cat,” Eleni tells TO BHMA, recalling how quickly her excitement over what seemed like the perfect home turned into complete disappointment.

“After a lot of searching, an acquaintance told us about an apartment building with just a few units in a quiet area. The rent was €450, a price that is now considered quite low even for Corinth. We thought it was a great opportunity, so we called and arranged to meet the landlady in person.

“We saw the apartment and were thrilled. But as soon as we mentioned that we had a cat, she told us there was no way she would accept it. She said she was allergic and that, because she lived two floors above us, it would affect her. We laughed, thanked her and left.”

Eleni and her husband continued their search, but finding an apartment that was both affordable and pet-friendly proved extremely difficult. They eventually had to pay considerably more to secure a place that met their needs and allowed them to keep their pet.

Landlords typically cite concerns about damage, odors, noise and potential disputes with other residents of the building. These are “issues that can just as easily be caused by a tenant without pets,” Eleni says.

“All He Said Was That Pets Were Not Allowed”

Dimitris N., 30, had lived in Athens since his university years but wanted an extended break from the capital. He therefore began looking for a home in Agioi Theodoroi, in Corinthia, planning to commute to work every day. He was prepared to spend more time traveling in exchange for greater peace and quiet.

His search, however, proved difficult.

“The area was ideal for what I was looking for because it is close to Athens, but rents have now become prohibitive everywhere. My biggest problem, however, turned out to be the fact that I have a pet.

“Although I found an apartment that suited my needs relatively quickly, the landlord was adamant: he did not want my cat. All he told me was that he did not accept animals. I had a very hard time finding somewhere else, and I can only imagine how difficult it must be for someone who has a dog,” he says.

These cases highlight a problem that neither the housing market nor legislation can easily resolve. The legal framework, after all, is more complicated than the widespread assumption that “pets and their owners are now protected.”

Article 15 of Law 4830/2021 explicitly allows companion animals to be kept in any residence, provided that animal welfare rules, health regulations and quiet-hour requirements are respected.

In apartment buildings, building regulations cannot prohibit pets altogether, although they can limit their number to three per apartment. Dogs and cats must also be microchipped and registered in the National Register of Companion Animals.

The Problem Is Even Worse Outside Major Cities

Alexandri confirms that the phenomenon is becoming increasingly widespread, describing it as an everyday reality in both Athens and the rest of the country — particularly outside the capital.

“The new law overrides building regulations that used to state that animals were not allowed,” she explains, while pointing to the paradox in how the legislation works.

“Even so, it still comes down to the landlord’s willingness. They can say, ‘No, I don’t want animals. I’m not doing anything illegal; I’m simply refusing to rent the property.'”

The decision, therefore, remains largely at the discretion of the property owner.

“Strange as it may seem, this problem affects the countryside more than Athens and the other major cities,” Alexandri stresses.

“The cases I deal with at the Animal Welfare Society mostly come from outside the major urban centers. Recently, an army officer and his wife called us in desperation. He told me: ‘We finally managed to find a home after an enormous struggle, but we can’t take our dog with us.’

“In urban centers, people are a little more aware, and the level of information is higher.”